


Adorable

by starsandgutters



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Drabble, Etymology, Gen, Linguistics, M/M, aka Ambra is a nerd as usual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2013-10-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 02:21:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandgutters/pseuds/starsandgutters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which I started thinking about the origin and meaning of the word "adorable", and how we all kind of use it in the wrong way. And then I accidentally drabbled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adorable

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to my Tumblr due to being so short, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to have all my writing stuff together.

“You look kind of adorable in that hoodie.”

It’s meant as a joke, but all the same, Dean regrets it the moment it leaves his mouth.  _Too much._

But come  _on_ , what with the angel - well, former angel - sitting forlornly at the table in the bunker, blue eyes soft and far-away with thought, his shoulders hunched in despondency at the incredibly annoying sensation of  _human-now-what-the-hell-this-is-hard,_ swamped in a huge red hoodie that makes him look younger than his vessel really is, and too many freaking layers of clothing to count?

Well, that  _is_  a little bit adorable. (And they need to have a talk about the layers; he and Sam have probably been a bad influence on the guy).

However, before he can say anything to take back the original statement, Castiel seems to come back to the moment and looks up at him, his eyes alert and surprised, his lips quirking into the secretive amused smile that Dean has come to associate with the seraph.

“Adorable?” he repeats, bemusedly, the smile widening of a fraction as he shakes his head.

And then Castiel cocks his head to the side in that way of his that is curious and intent and… well, _Castiely_ , Dean supposes.

“You know, your modern-day usage of the word is completely inappropriate. You say  _adorable_  and take it to mean ‘cute’, ‘endearing’. That’s not what it should mean at all.”

“Isn’t it?” Dean replies, voice flatly amused and no longer surprised by his friend’s habit of turning insignificant things around on their head.

“No. Adorable means - if we’re looking at its original meaning, of course - worthy of being adored. Of being worshipped. In fact, it originates from the Latin verb,  _adorare._ ‘To pray to’.”

There’s a beat of silence then, and they don’t break eye contact until Castiel continues.

“So basically, when you’re calling me ‘adorable’, you think you’re saying I’m quirky and likeable, but what you’re really saying, is that I’m someone you’re likely to pray to.”

Another tense silence - a longer one - and this time it’s the angel who looks away.

Dean keeps looking at him, though, and when he speaks his voice is quiet and sure.

“Well, I guess I wasn’t that far off the mark, was I?”


End file.
